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Jan. 24, 1956 H. E. MCCAIN FLEXIBLE INTERLOCKING VENTED AWNING CANOPYFiled Dec. 29, 19s2 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Harvey E. McCain INVENTOR. 405'.

I BY a tiJ Kw M Jan. 24, 1956 MCCAIN 2,731,927

FLEXIBLE INTERLOCKING VENTED AWNING CANOPY Filed Dec. 29, 1952ZSheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Harvey E. McCain INVENTOR.

By ym,

United States Patent FLEXIBLE INTERLOCKING VENTED AWNING ANOPY Harvey E.McCain, San Angelo, Tex.

Application December 29, 1952, Serial No. 328,444

3 Claims. (Cl. 108-1) This invention comprises novel and usefulimprovements in a flexible interlocking vented awning canopy and morespecifically pertains to a canopy composed of articulated sheet metalpanels carried by flexible cables whereby an awning may be constructedof any desired width and length and yet may possess the advantages of aself-ventilating construction.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an awning canopywhich shall be of a self-ventilating type whereby air heated beneath theawning is caused by thermodynamic forces to circulate throughventilating openings in the roof of the awning canopy to maintain an aircirculation therethrough and thus ventilate and cool the space below thecanopy.

A further object of the invention in accordance withthe preceding objectis to provide a flexible awning of such a construction that the same maybe easily and conveniently constructed and assembled in a very widerange of lengths and widths.

A further object of the invention is to provide an awning canopyconstruction in conformity with the foregoing objects wherein the roofof the canopy shall be constructed of a large number of identicalelongated panel members which shall be operatively associated with eachother in a novel and advantageous manner to secure the advantages of aninterlocked flexible continuouscanopy roof assembly, which shall possessflexibility to a marked extent whereby the canopy may readily adaptitself to mounting upon relatively long spans of supporting cable andthe like; and may be so associated as to maintain a predeterminedspacing between adjacent series of panels or obtaining an improvedventilating action therebetween.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedsupporting and fastening means whereby a pinrality of elongated panelsmay be secured in operative association with each other to obtain aflexible continuous awning canopy.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention, which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodimentof which has been illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an awning canopy embodying therein theprinciples of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view from one end of the awningshowing the arrangement between the rows and panels and supporting meanstherefor;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional detail view taken upon anenlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 33of Figure l and showing in particular the arrangement of the cables andfastening means for supporting adjacent vertically spaced panels of tworows of panels to provide the ventilating passages therebetween;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken upon anenlarged scale substantially on the plane indicated by the section line44 of Figure 3 and showing Patented Jan. 24, 1956 in particular theinterlocking engagement of adjacent panels in the same row of panels;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view upon an enlarged scale of aportion of the two adjacent central rows of panels forming the roofridge portion of the awning canopy of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by section line 66 of Figure 5 and showing themanner in which the adjacent ends of the adjacent central rows of panelsare secured to a common cable to form the ridge of the roof of thecanopy.

Referring now specifically to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that theawning canopy illustrated in the accompanying drawings includes a canopyroof indicated generally by the numeral 10 and which in its oppositeends is carried by supporting assemblies each indicated generally by thenumeral 12.

While the features of this invention are not limited to any particularsupporting means, that indicated at 12 has been found to be satisfactoryfor constructing awning canopies of very considerable lengths, as forexample, lengths in excess of feet or the like, and of various suitablewidths. Each of these supporting assemblies preferably comprises avertical standard 14 Which may be of tubular construction as shown, andwhich adjacent its upper end is provided with horizontally extendingtubular crossbars 16 whose outer ends are connected as by inclinedtubular members 18 to the upper end of the standard 14. A pair ofvertical struts 20 and 22 are provided upon'opposite sides of thestandard 14 for reinforcing and connecting the inclined members 18 tothe crossbars 16. There is thus provided a triangular truss assembly atthe upper ends of the standards 14 whose components may be welded orotherwise secured together to provide a rigid assembly.

The awning canopy roof 10 is supported resiliently from the trussassemblies of the end supports 12 by a plurality of substantiallyparallel flexible supporting members which may conveniently comprisemetallic cables or the like. These cables to be referred to morespecifically hereinafter are secured to the supporting members 12 insuch a manner as to provide a ridge type of roof for the awning canopyand each cable is preferably provided with individual tensioning meansfor regulating the tautness of that cable.

The system of cables or flexible members employed to support the canopyroof 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings includes a top or ridgecable 24, see in particular Figures 5 and 6, which has its opposite endsconnected as by turnbuckles 26 to anchor bolts 28 which are securedadjacent the upper ends of the standards 14. A pair of vertically spacedcables 30 and 32, likewise having their opposite ends provided withturnbuckles 26, are attached to and carried by each of the struts 20 ofthe pair of end support members 12. The upper cables 30 are disposed onopposite sides of and vertically below the ridge cable 24 to permit asloping of the roof panels as set forth hereinafter, while the lowercables 32 are disposed vertically beneath the cables 30 for a purposewhich will be subsequently apparent. At their outer ends, a pair of sidecables 34 are likewise attached by turnbuckles 26 to suitable anchorbolts 36 fastened to the cross arms 16 of the two end support assemblies12. These outer cables 34 are likewise disposed outwardly on oppositesides of the cables 30 and 32, and are spaced vertically below the same.

It is this supporting framework consisting of the two end supportingassemblies 12 and the series of substan tially parallel flexible cables24, 30, 32 and 34 that the canopy roof is attached.

The canopy roof is composed of a plurality of substantially identicallyformed elongated panels which may be of sheet metal or any othersuitablematerial, alternate panels being inverted. Thus, the panels 40 areconsidered to be in obverse position, while the adjacent panels 42 areregarded as being in inverse position.

The plurality of panels are disposed in four rows extendinglongitudinally of the flexible cables, these being the two central rows44 and 46, together with the outer rows 48 and 50. In each of the rows44, 46, 43 and 50, the individual panels 40 and 42 are disposedtransversely of the rows and cables and in side by side relation withthe inverted panels interposed between successive obverse panels 46, andwith the adjacent edges of the panels being interlocked with each otherby an articulated engagement of the inturned beads or seams 52 on thelongitudinal edges of the panels and which are hingedly or pivotallyengaged with each other as clearly shown in Figure 4-.

From a consideration of Figures 1, 2 and 4, it will thus be seen thatthe panels 40 and 42 in each row have their side edges articulatinglyconnected to each other whereby the entire row of panels constitutes aflexible sheet.

Each of the panels 46 and 42 which make up the roof of the canopy areconnected adjacent their opposite ends to a pair of the series ofcables. Thus, the adjacent ends of the panels of the two central rows 44and 46 are fastened to a single or common cable 24 comprising the ridgecable of the canopy assembly. For this purpose, as shown more clearly inFigures 5 and 6, each of the panels of the rows 44 and 46 is fastened toa hinge bracket or clip 54 by means of a bolt or fastener 56, this hingeclip having a cylindrical portion 58 which is embracingly secured uponthe ridge cable 24. Thus, the adjacent ends of the two central rows ofpanels are hinged to the ridge cable and the panels are inclineddownwardly therefrom and rest adjacent their other ends upon the uppercables 30.

Two different types of fasteners are employed to secure the obverse andthe inverse panels 40 and 42 to the cables 30. Thus, the obverse panels49 which lie directly upon the cables 30 are secured thereto by clips 54which may be of the identical construction previously described.However, the inverse panels 42, being slightly spaced from the cables 30by virtue of their overlying engagement with respect to the adjacentpanels 40, as seen in Figure 3, require a clip 55 which may be of thesame construction as the clip 54 but is of a different dimension inorder to support the panels in the relationship shown in Figure 3.

As so far described, it will now be apparent that the panels of thecentral rows 44 and 46, slope oppositely from opposite sides of theridge cable to provide a sloping ridge type of roof, and/or eachseparately connected to the ridge cable and to the upper cables 30.

In a similar manner the panels of the two outer rows 48 and 50 arelikewise secured at their upper and lower ends respectively to thecables 32 and 34 by the clips 54 and 55 previously mentioned. It will benoted that the lower outer ends of the panels of the rows 44 and 46 aredisposed in overlying vertically spaced relation with respect to theupper ends of the outer rows 48 and 50, as will be clearly apparent fromFigure 3 to thus provide an air space between the central rows and theouter rows of panels, this air space extending longitudinally of thecanopy. By this means ventilating spaces are provided between the rowsof panels which will permit the flow of air and some extent the passageof light therebetween while preventing rain or the like from passingthrough the awning.

By the arrangement of the plurality of panels in side by sidearticulated relation in rows and the relative disposition of the rowsthemselves, an awning canopy is provided which may be readilyconstructed of any desired length or width by increasing the length ofthe rows and the number of rows, with a corresponding increase in thelength of the flexible cables and the number of the same; and if desiredan increase in the number of the support members 12. Further, theassembly so constructed will readily conform to the natural curve of theflexible cables throughout their span, and such curvature may beadjusted by the turnbuckle means.

Moreover, the interlocking engagement of the marginal portions 52 of theadjacent panels will prevent any passage of rain or moisture between theadjacent edges of adjacent panels.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. A flexible canopy comprising a pair of supports, fiexible cablesmounted upon and disposed between said supports, a plurality ofelongated panels carried by said cables and forming a roof, said panelsbeing disposed in rows extending longitudinally of said cables, thepanels in each row extending transversely of said cables and beingdisposed in side-by-side relation, said cables positioned below andsupporting the undersurface of said panels, means for adjustablytensioning said cables, detachable means interconnecting said panels andcables for holding said panels on said cables, and means on adjacentside edges of adjacent panels for pivotally securing said adjacentpanels together, said interconnecting means being disposed at themidportion of said panels between said pivotal securing means.

2. A flexible canopy comprising a pair of supports, flexible cablesmounted upon and disposed between said supports, a plurality ofelongated panels carried by said cables and forming a roof, said panelsbeing disposed in rows extending longitudinally of said cables, thepanels in each row extending transversely of said cables and beingdisposed in side-by-side relation, said cables positioned below andsupporting the undersurface of said panels, means for adjustablytensioning said cables, detachable means interconnecting said panels andcables for holding said panels on said cables, and means on adjacentside edges of adjacent panels for pivotally securing said adjacentpanels together, said interconnecting means being disposed at themidportion of said panels between said pivotal securing means, theadjacent ends of panels in a pair of adjacent rows being secured to acommon cable and slope downwardly therefrom, and the next adjacent rowshave their adjacent ends spaced from and underlying the adjacent lowerends of the said pair of adjacent rows to provide ventilating passagestherebetween.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said panels aresymmetrical and substantially channel-shaped in transverse cross-sectionwith inturned hook-shaped side edges, alternate panels of each row beinginverted with the inturned edges of adjacent edges of adjacent panelsbeing in hooked engagement thereby pivotally connecting said panels.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCouteau Aug. 25, 1885

